Major League Djz, the South African DJ/producer duo consisting of identical twin brothers Bandile and Banele Mbere, and Major Lazer have teamed to release the collaborative album Piano Republik, out today from Mad Decent/Because. Listen HERE.
The first new album release from Major Lazer — the U.S. based trio of Diplo, Walshy Fire and Ape Drums in three years, Piano Republik is a thrilling and unprecedented international showcase for amapiano, the dance music genre that has exploded out of South Africa’s townships and onto the world stage recently.
“Africa is the centre of musical energy for the whole world right now, and amapiano is easily one of the most exciting things happening,” says Walshy Fire, frontman of Major Lazer. “It’s blown up all over the continent, but it all started in South Africa, and Major League Djz are in the middle of everything. As soon as we got to experience their movement in real life, we knew we just had to collaborate.”
The album includes the previously released singles “Koo Koo Fun” (featuring Tiwa Savage and DJ Maphorisa); “Designer” featuring Joeboy; and “Mamgobhozi” featuring the late South African music icon and activist Brenda Fassie, as well as a pair of guest appearances from R&B superstar Ty Dolla $ign (“Smoking & Drinking,” “Oh Yeah”). South African acts featured on the project include Msaki, Gaba Cannal, Russell Zuma, Yumbs, Boniface, DJ Rico and fast-rising singer Tyla, who appears on the album’s stunning focus track “Ke Shy.”
This album is a fusion of soulful house music, African rhythms and jazzy piano melodies, amapiano is the latest outgrowth of South Africa’s deeply rooted dance music culture. Major League Djz are both pioneers of amapiano and its de facto global ambassadors, having brought global audiences into South Africa’s club scene over the last three years through their livestreamed Balcony Mix events, which regularly generate millions of views on YouTube.
Since the release of their acclaimed 2021 album Outside, Major League Djz have gone on to break the world record for the longest DJ set performed by a duo, performing for 75 hours for a special edition of the Balcony Mix Experience. Counting Tems, Burna Boy, Honey Dijon, Jorja Smith, Rema, Asake, Stefflon Don and Mr Eazi among their steadily growing list of supporters, the twins made their Coachella debut alongside Black Coffee in 2022, and recently sold out London’s O2 Academy Brixton.
